Israel captures key Islamic Jihad militant
(AP)
Updated: 2005-11-24 11:14

A top Islamic Jihad militant surrendered to Israeli soldiers early Thursday, witnesses said, after a daylong siege during which army bulldozers knocked down the four-story house where he was hiding.

Dozens of troops surrounded the building in the town of Jenin in the hunt for Iyad Abu Rob. Witnesses said Abu Rob, a senior commander of Islamic Jihad in the northern West Bank, emerged from the wrecked house after midnight and was taken away by soldiers along with one of his aides.

On Wednesday, more than 70 army jeeps and 25 armored personnel carriers entered Jenin, and troops announced a curfew over loudspeakers as part of an arrest raid, residents said. Several armored personnel carriers surrounded the building where Abu Rob was believed to be hiding, and snipers took up positions on nearby roofs.

Palestinians hurl stones at an Israeli army vehicle during clashes in the West Bank town of Jenin, Wednesday Nov. 23, 2005. [AP]

Troops shot and killed a local man who hurled rocks at an army patrol, witnesses and hospital officials said.

The Israeli army said it was conducting an arrest operation in Jenin, but would not give further details.

Shooting broke out at several points in the city and 11 Palestinians and three Israeli soldiers were injured, Palestinian and Israeli officials said. One of the Palestinians was moderately hurt, and the other 10 were slightly wounded, Palestinian doctors said. The Israeli army said the soldiers were also slightly wounded.

In a separate operation, two wanted men surrendered after Israeli troops surrounded two houses in the village of Kfar Kalil near Nablus, the army said. Another man was shot, the military said, but his condition was not known.

Several Palestinian suspects have been killed recently in army operations in the West Bank to track them down.